Britain is faced with the challenge of dealing with over 30 million tonnes of litter dumped annually, causing both a visual eyesore in communities and harm to wildlife, with a clean-up cost estimated at around £1 billion each year.
However, there is a positive initiative on the horizon as Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean are set to return from 13-29 March. Hundreds of thousands of individuals are expected to participate in these events to help beautify the streets.
Since its inception as a one-time event in 2016, a group of dedicated Litter Heroes has committed to picking up more than 4.5 million bags of trash from various locations like streets, parks, fields, riverbanks, and beaches across Britain.
The Great British Spring Clean is scheduled to take place from 13-29 March. Interested participants can register on keepbritaintidy.org and pledge to collect any amount of rubbish they wish.
Individuals, groups, and schools can all take part in this initiative by providing their name, email address, postcode, and specifying the number of bags they plan to pick up.
Last year, nearly 400,000 volunteers engaged in the annual litter pick, collectively filling approximately 462,000 bags of waste. A survey revealed that 95% of participants believed their contributions significantly improved their local environment.
Among the notable supporters this year is civil servant Emdad Rahman, an influential Litter Hero Ambassador of Keep Britain Tidy. He leads the Little Litter League, a program fostering environmental responsibility among young people and families through regular clean-up activities.
Emdad and other remarkable individuals like Sarah Drakes from Nestlé Confectionery UK&I and Rob Edwards from KFC UK&I are actively involved in supporting the campaign to keep communities clean and promote environmental stewardship.
The campaign has also garnered support from companies like Mars Wrigley, which funds the Chewing Gum Task Force, contributing to a substantial reduction in gum littering through strategic initiatives.
The Great British Spring Clean presents an opportunity for everyone to make a positive impact on their community by pledging to pick up litter starting from 13 February.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, the chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, expressed gratitude towards volunteers like Emdad for their dedication in removing millions of bags of litter, emphasizing the importance of collective action in combating litter issues.
Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, commended the volunteers for their commitment to protecting the environment and highlighted the significance of individual contributions in preserving nature.
This year’s campaign is made possible by the support of People’s Postcode Lottery players, media partners such as Bauer Media Outdoor, Magic Radio, and The Mirror, along with collaborating partners including KFC UK&I, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Pepsi Max, and Walkers.